New Media I

FINAL PROJECT

2011-04-27T19:40:00.002-04:00

Due: May 5th at the beginning of class

The purpose of this project is to follow a specific proposal to execute an environment in a social platform which adheres to a pre-selected theme. Each student will submit a proposal for how they build an environment in Second Life which is based on an early memory they had. The student will then construct a well-crafted and complex environment which utilizes the free-form mechanics of Second Life. Using modular building components, the student will construct this 'memory space.' All components must be built from prims developed by the individual student. There will be no copying/repurposing.

Each project will be graded based on a predefined rubric. The majority of the grade will be based on accurate craftsmanship and a unique use of the Second Life environment to execute their projects. Accuracy in craftsmanship will be designated that all joints should be clean and all planes should be level and even. Students should be crafting a "dream-like" environment which could not be built in real life; their world should be expressively virtual in it's nature, purpose and function.

Keep in mind the teachings of Marshall McLuhan's "Medium is the Message" while building your project. As you design it following the 5 layers of user-experience design, determine what the message of your environment is and how you will guide people to experience it.

This project must be completed in full before May 5th and will be shared with the professor in its entirety at the beginning of class. We will have a brief critique in class evaluating the success of each project following the guidelines established above.

IMPORTANT: Because this project represents 30% of your entire semester grade, please put forth as much time and care as necessary to achieve a good grade.

Mini Project 8

2011-04-19T09:09:00.000-04:00

These are the images of the copy of the house (first two images) and the house I copied (3rd image) it was fun.

Mini Project 8

2011-04-19T08:50:00.004-04:00

This is the original image

This is my image.

Mini Project #8 Fix

2011-04-19T08:45:00.005-04:00

So above are my versions of the building bellow which is the original. Found this "shack" at Boston Nightlife.

Mini-Project #8

2011-04-19T06:38:00.016-04:00

FRONT-

BACK-

Mini Project #8

2011-04-18T22:38:00.005-04:00

Mini-Project #8

2011-04-17T23:24:00.003-04:00

View #1

View #2

Mini-Project #8

2011-04-14T08:43:00.007-04:00

DUE: Tuesday April 19th

The purpose of this project is to have students utilize the modular nature of Second Life constuction and analyze the impact of the environment on user behavior.

Each student will find (1) one example of architecture unique to Second Life which they will imitate. This building MUST use 'open' architecture which demonstrates the transcoded behavior of the second life environment: it should permit easy movement and not "feel" like a real life house/building. For an example of this transcoded behavior, please explore the building in your inventory labeled "Wright House." This object box contains the components for a building similar in style to a Frank Lloyd Wright house, but exemplifies typical Second Life architecture.

Take several screencaptures of the (1) one example of architecture you will recreate. Use these as a reference and rebuild this building in its entirety, as accurately as possible. You will be graded on accuracy of recreation as well as the craftsmanship and precision on your prim connections. Do NOT use any pre-made edifices. Prims not created by yourself are forbidden!

When you are finished, take screenshots of your building from the same angles as the original which can be posted as a side-by-side comparison with the original building. Post these comparative images to a new blog entry before class on Tuesday.

HINT: There is no need to build your copy accurately to scale. If your selected building is enormous and you want to build a copy that is the size of a house, this is fine. It just needs to be accurate in scope (you should still be able to use it as intended).

READING RESPONSES 14 - 16

2011-03-21T16:05:00.000-04:00

Online News and the Viral Campaign: podcast and beyond
Reading Responses:
14: What is creativity?
15: National Podcast Radio
16: Wireless Revolution

Please read each of the (3) three articles and create a new post for each article by Thursday, March 24th. Each essay should be no less than two paragraphs in length and summarize the main points of the articles read. It should also include any ideas you had in relation to the reading; not opinions about the complexity of the writing, but the content. Title each entry as "Reading Response" followed by the sequential number of the article; your entry on National Podcast Radio would then be titled "Reading Response 15"

Mini Project #7

2011-03-21T15:43:00.004-04:00

Person 1

57 year old male banker about to retire

Interested in Sports, Stock, Politics, US news, World news, and Business news

He usually feels rushed and stressed at work because of his age

He enjoys relaxing and reading the articles on the news

He looks at the news usually at work in a small windowless office

He has a high but outdated skill level, he doesn't know electronics very well but well enough

He gets frustrated with useless information

Person 2

26 year old female kindergarten teacher

Interested in Health, Entertainment (celebrities), Politics, US news, and the Weather

She is content with her life but sometimes feels like she's rushed or can't concentrate because of the children

She needs speed and shortened information because the children take up most of her attention

She looks at the news in the morning during play time in class, so she has a shortened attention span

Her skill level is up to date with technology and she has been through college recently

She is frustrated when there is too much to read, she needs simplicity

Person 3

39 year old male meteorologist

Interested in Weather, Technology, Politics, World news, US news, and Leisure

He's usually relaxed but very critical of people's opinion

He needs information, precise information

He looks at the news at work in the lab while doing his research and checking the numbers on his weather sensors

He has a very high and up to date skill level

He gets frustrated when there aren't enough details

I decided to completely simplify everything on the website because two of my people needed that. On the main website there were sections like US news, Politics, Opinion with information under them, lots of information. I decided to delete all the information and make those sections into "buttons" that you click on if you want to know more about the US news, and on the next page will be your information because not all of my people were interested in the same subjects. I kept the weather section because all of my people needed that, and I kept the markets (stock) section for my banker. I also added a section on the right side with current news headlines which are links to more information so that, for example, the school teacher can pick and choose quickly which she might be interested in reading more about if any.

Mini Project #7

2011-03-17T15:20:00.004-04:00

Person 1: This person is 45 years old and teaches history at a high school. He is a pretty bad teacher and does not spend much time with the students. He is online all day looking for anything entertainment wise to pass the hours of the day. He is fat and struggling with some health problems.

Person 2: A young man in college, at the age of 27. He is in criminal justice and is very healthy. He is a straight B- student. Although he has potential, he spends too much time on social websites, mostly facebook and twitter.

Person 3: An aspiring model, she is 36 and very underweight. She worries about her health but will do anything for a shot at her dream career. She spends most of her day on social websites messaging famous fashion designers hoping for a chance.

I made a lot of changes to the website. I cut down about 90% of the writing on the page. I brought the page tabs to the top so they are easy to see and put entertainment and health near the top so my customers. I also made the top story picture bigger so it's very visual and easy to find. Finally, i took away the social media selections, such as facebook and twitter, from the bottom and put in a selection of big, easy to see, buttons near the top of the page for very easy access.

Mini Project 7 p.2

2011-03-10T10:11:00.003-05:00

CNNMoney.com began as a reasonably clean website. It begins at the top with some pictures and as you move down you get lost in headlines and small print shortcuts. My redesigned website contains five rows with large tiles containing the top headlines if the category. To the right of that there is a visual that pertains to the subject. Clicking on the arrow to the right of the row will bring up other categories less popular then the five on the main page. At the bottom are some quick links to other categories. The keyword search can also be arranged by date. Visual work is minimized because you only have 10 big boxes to look at. Cognitive work is minimized because there are just headlines to read and from there you can choose to read the article. Memory work is basic because the use is simple. Motor work is limited often to one click of the mouse. Sometimes you might need to click on a category or the arrow, but limited clicks. If doing a search, the user may need to type in the search bar but very limited keyboard use is required.

A Business Man who runs his own small business and wants to see what is going on with other small businesses as well as the world economy. He would be able to see if there is a need worldwide for his product and if he can refine his products to better fit the needs of his customers. The information will help him better his product by seeing what the world is looking for. This will allow for him to focus his effort on to a certain aspect. The businessman is very busy, so he is looking to obtain only information important to his business and product. He doesn’t care about gossip or celebrities, but only wants the information he is looking for presented to him in a clear and concise way. Since the small businessman works in his office which is also the shop producing his product, he is often working on the product and cannot sit for a long time in front of the computer so the information must be worded in a short way and should be available quickly. The businessman is not very technical. He is lucky to turn on the computer and open the web browser. This is why the news site should be visual. He gets upset when things are over complicated and he cannot find information he is looking for.

An economist, who enjoys cheese curls, wants to know about the stock market and wants to see how large businesses are doing. She likes to read long articles detailing the specifics of business sales and services. Following the economy and the stock market, she likes to read about predictions that other economists make. With this information she makes her own consensuses and formulates ideas. When the economy is doing bad, she is disappointed and gets frustrated easily. This makes the need of a website to be easy to use and convey information very important as she will leave the site if not satisfied. She must visit many sites to gather information, so the more that is available on one the longer she will stay. She looks for a section of the page that pertains to her, and lives there while she is using the site. She is not interested in off topic information, though she does find time to read a couple of twitter feeds and post her own on her lunch break at Starbucks. She is very proficient with computer use, and uses many RSS feeds in her browser that take her right to top stories she is interested in. Since she enjoys reading information on the economy and not looking for it, she is frustrated when information has to be looked for and not presented to her, and she will leave the site.

An engineer at a local television station wants to know what new groundbreaking technology is shaking the economic market. He knows that companies like Apple can release a product that will drive all other companies to produce products to compete with them. He likes to stay up to date with technology and knows that it is so quickly changing, he only wants to learn about that which pertains to his job or information that will be around for some amount of time. He likes pictures and videos and doesn’t necessarily want to read or have time to read large articles. He would prefer to visit a site and have the information directly in front of him. A category of information with a couple of headlines would be effective to draw him in. He likes a clean presentation of video that is easy to find and clearly presented links to the video. He works extremely well with computers, but doesn’t want to have to Google stupid little things that are easy to do but hard to find. He is frustrated when information that he knows is available to him, is hidden and requires effort to find. Also, he gets mad when he searches in the search bar, and old and irrelevant information appears, not the latest and most relevant.

Miniproject 7

2011-03-10T09:55:00.004-05:00

Businessman

46 years old

Lives alone

Looking for quick news on iPad before work, at lunch, or walking from office to office checking up on people

Stocks, Politics, business, World news are the highest interest

Does not care about Entertainment News

Family Man

35 years old

Wants local news over world news

Little knowledge on stocks

Constant Weather updates checker

Reads news while his kids are at school

Checks weather so the kids can be dressed properly

Entertainment junkie

17 Years old

Lives at home

Goes to every site possible to find entertainment news

Gossip lover

Stays home all the time to look up the new gossip and share it as fast as possible

Uses laptop in bed

The changes I made were directly from the personas. The top of the webpage is mostly business things, because the businessman only has a little bit of time to look at thinks while working, so all that is up top, and big, for the use of the iPad. The weather is also close to the top so that the Family man can get to that quickly, but he has a little more time, so he can have very minimal scrolling. At the bottom is the entertainment junkie’s heaven. All the stories are down there and all she has to do is click on them. Because she researches this stuff all day, she does not have to have her information at the top, she doesn’t mind digging for it just so that she can know more than everyone.

Mini-Project #6 Part 2

2011-03-10T09:40:00.001-05:00

DUE: Thursday, March 31st

The purpose of this project is to invite the student to think about and document an alternate way for social networks to function. As discussed in class, there are many methods for re-contextualizing elements of new media. From Lev Manovich, we learn that variability and modularity are principle components of new media. While he was delineating the fundamental components of new media, we can apply these principles to the broader context of new media in the form of mashups, remixes and repurposing.

Web 2.0 social sites have purported purposes. You have already submitted a proposal for how to subvert your selected Web 2.0 site, now it is time to do that. I have given a significant amount of time because many of your proposals will require enough time to utilize long-term trolling strategies. Please use this time to carefully document and perform your subversion.

After the project has been completed, the documentation (photos, webpages, video, games, objects) must be brought into class critique in a formal presentation on the 31st. The documentation of this project should be carefully considered, as it will be graded on visual elements as well as the aesthetics of how the project is represented.

For some additional references, I will include a list of subversive art projects and performative/trickster works.

One Year Video Performance

Mini-Project #7

2011-03-10T08:57:00.003-05:00

DUE: Thursday March 10th

The purpose of this project is to have students analyze the way a user should impact design. During class, the student will have created three (3) imaginary persona character sheets which they will use to re-design a news site of their choice. The persona sheet must include a detailed description of the six points of user design discussed in class. The webpage re-design should be a simplification of the website, akin to the shift from the New York Times to the New York Times Skimmer. All modifications should be aimed at improving the function of the selected website for those specific three users and should minimize the four forms of work discussed in class.

After the student has turned in their image (.jpg) to the professor at the end of class, the student will then post their image to a new entry on this blog, labeled "Mini-Project #7: redesign". Included in this post should be the three (3) user descriptions already written by the student, as well as a new paragraph which briefly describes the reasons for your modifications. This final paragraph can be short, but should explain how you changed the website to make things easier and more focused for the personas you designed. Use terminology discussed in class lecture.

This entry should be posted the same day as class, no later.

Project #6 Proposal

2011-03-07T21:35:00.005-05:00

My Web 2.0 subversion project will be on Urban Dictionary, an alternative online dictionary for slang words and phrases. Anyone is free to add new definitions to the dictionary (although editors may choose to edit or remove them). Urban Dictionary also has a thumbs-up/thumbs-down rating system, which allows readers to evaluate whether they agree or disagree with a particular definition.

My plan to subvert Urban Dictionary is to add definitions of nonsense terms that I invented myself, that nobody has ever read or heard of before. I could also redefine a term that already exists, but give it a completely different and unrelated meaning. Urban Dictionary does have editors that monitor newly added definitions, so to ensure that mine get approved, I’ll need to make my definitions seem like they’re real slang rather than pure gibberish. I’ll document my project by screen-capturing my definitions when (if) they’re added to Urban Dictionary, especially after people have read my definitions and given them a thumbs up or thumbs down.

Project 6 Proposal

2011-03-07T20:26:00.003-05:00

DeviantArt is an online art community for people anywhere to post their own art that was created in 2000. This can practically be anything you can think of and more in the form of 2D drawings, flash videos, 3D videos, photography, and hand made stuff with the acceptance of pornography, though that could be debated really. Deviantart is meant to give artists a chance to show and share their art with a community of other art enthusiasts.

Seeing as this site is for artists to receive some sort of feedback, my plan is to make an account that is from the perspective of a dinosaur and to, in a sense, document its life. I shall post pictures related to the dinosaur such as things it eats and the way it lives. I will document this through the comments I receive from people through screen shots and by commenting on others through this persona. Also with screen shots of the actual page.

mini project 5

2011-03-03T10:44:00.000-05:00

Mini-Project #5 (Redo)

2011-03-03T03:21:00.008-05:00

For this redo of Mini-Project #5 I wanted to focus on the hardcore social aspect of Second Life. To the many players of Second Life this is not just a video game, but indeed a "second life". People gather their avatars together and socialize like any other place in real life. The conversations are usual subjects what happened in their lives today, sex life, celebrity gossip, and so forth. The players take great pride in their friends, conversational skills, and looks of their avatar.

In the end though it's just a game and that's all it will ever be. You wouldn't see a women like in the second image dressed like that in public conversing with others. Though there are some aspects of real life that are situated in real life such as the advertisements in the third image. Not a day will go by in real life that we will not see advertisement and this goes with Second Life as well. New Media has found its way into the cyber-culture through the use of internet and technology.

Mini-Project 5-2

2011-03-02T21:42:00.004-05:00

This particular photo is of a darker times castle during sunset. It's modeling and construction I find to be absolutely beautiful. The vastness of the place completed by the historical feel draws one in for the need of exploration unlike that of a simple one story building. The complexity keeps the place more exciting, causing more people to take interest. The repetition of objects leads the eye around, keeping movement.

This photo basically represents a large platform that appears to be the body of a large insect. The uniqueness of the layout captured my interest. The glow effects and the fog give the place an almost sort of eerie atmosphere completed by the fact that this place is in space. The picture gives you the feel as if you were standing on this large insectoid and almost makes you want to explore because of the strangeness of it all. It's almost as if it's an enemy lair in a particular sci-fi video game.

This place I found really neat. It has a lot of of wispy glowy lines that almost give a sort of wind effect in a majestic sort of way. These wispy things surround a single tree encased in itself with a bright piano. It kind of seems like something out of a story book or something from Disney. Without the glowy lines, this place would be much less interesting. They truly bring the place together to draw ones attention.

Mini-Project #5.1

2011-03-02T21:26:00.004-05:00

As I was walking through some creepy woods place, I saw a closed door that seemed to go into a large rock. Being curious, I opened the door and I found this bright green-glowing portal behind it. (I went through the portal and it brought me inside a house.)

While I was flying underwater at a certain location, I saw lots of different sea animals. But this school of fish—or more like cyclone of fish—especially got my attention. I went into the center of the “cyclone” and snapped a picture.

This city looked old-fashioned and partly destroyed. It’s not easily apparent in this picture, but many of the buildings here were slanted rather than perfectly upright. The dark clouds in the sky gives the scene a dark, mysterious feeling.

Mini-Project #6 Part 1

2011-03-02T19:43:00.003-05:00

DUE: Tuesday, March 8th

The purpose of this project is to invite the student to think about and document an alternate way for social networks to function. As discussed in class, there are many methods for re-contextualizing elements of new media. From Lev Manovich, we learn that variability and modularity are principle components of new media. While he was discussing the fundamental components of new media, we can apply these principles to the broader context of new media in the form of mashups, remixes and repurposing.

Web 2.0 social sites have purported purposes. The student will select a Web 2.0 social site and will write a two paragraph paper describing (a) the intended function and purpose of that site and (b) how the student intends to subvert this function and use it to a different purpose. Please include specific details for both how this will be accomplished and how it will be documented. This two paragraph proposal will be posted as a new entry on the blog labeled "Project #6 Proposal".

Here is a list of potential sites (but not the only available sites):

Wikipedia

Friendster

Myspace

Facebook

Youtube

Flickr

Twitter

Last.fm

Mini-Project #5

2011-03-01T10:58:00.001-05:00

DUE: March 1st

Each student will enter second life and create three stunning photographs in the virtual world. These could be portraits, landscapes or abstract, but must maintain a strong sense of design, composition and visual aesthetic. Your avatar CAN NOT be in the final images. These three images can be minimally cropped in aviary.com, but the final images must have all references to their source viewer removed. In other words, all viewer elements from your Second Life software should be cropped when taking the photo. Following this step by step tutorial should make it simple enough to not need additional software.

To do this, you will need to use your camera controls, your flying abilities and other inventive field photography techniques to get the right angle and image. Begin by selecting the view controls at the bottom of the Second Life Viewer and adjust your camera to the visual field you want. Next, determine what lighting you will need. To select your world lighting, go to World menu > Sun and select the correct time of day for your viewer. Finally, in the menu bar go to World menu > Snapshot. A new window will open. Verify that the "Save to Computer" box is checked. Click the "More >>" button to show advanced controls. Your resolution should be selected to no smaller than 1920 by 1080 (please uncheck "constrain proportions"). You may use alternate image dimensions, if required, but please use these as a minimum resolution. When changing the dimensions of the image, you may need to hit the refresh button in order to save your image. Select to save the image as JPEG. If you need further help, please consult this guide.

All three of these images should be posted to one (1) new blog entry before class, along with a brief paragraph of the student's description of their intent with the images. Please discuss how the virtual platform of Second Life affected your decisions for the content of the images you select. Reference the readings we have done. This project is not graded on a pass or fail basis, but will be considered according to the grading rubric handed out at the beginning of the semester.

This assignment will require an inventive use of search engines in world and out in order to discover new places and things to photograph. For further source material, please visit the site of virtual world artists Eva and Franco Mattes, whose project on the 13 most beautiful avatars should be seen.

UPDATE: All students should redo this project, keeping in mind the comments made in class critique. Do not feel like you need to retake images from the same places or people, but that you will take photographs in Second Life which reference the course concepts. Please have these posted to the blog before class on Thursday, March 3rd.

READING RESPONSES 9 - 13

2011-03-01T09:10:00.000-05:00

Social and Technological: open source
Reading Responses:
9: Social Interaction Design
10: visualcomplexity (visit three projects from each category on the right hand side)
11: What is collaboration?!
12: Clay Shirky - Group Politics
13: GNU Manifesto

Please visit each of the (5) five sites (some are quick visuals), but only write three (3) essays on readings 11 - 13. Post these to the class website by Thursday, March 10th. Each essay should be no less than two paragraphs in length and summarize the main points of the articles read. It should also include any insights and considerations you had in relation to the reading. Please continue to number the readings as you have done in the past.

Mini Project #5

2011-03-01T02:38:00.005-05:00

For this mini-project I wasn't too sure at first how to go about it, but thanks to this first image I had a topic to work with. Completely by chance I took this photo to test out the camera settings, instead it came out to this unique apocalyptic view of second life. A lone woman trying to survive this hellish nightmare that now plagues earth. From here I decided to go with this theme of "the end of life as we know it" type of deal. This first photo would inspire the next two photos I would later take for this project.

This second photo I just happened to be at the right place at the right time. While exploring the region of "Korea1" a player transformed himself into a giant gorilla. When I saw the massive primate I thought to myself "King Kong". So I tilted the camera down to give him a more taller look, had a few people enter my frame, and waited for the right facial expression. When all was right I snapped the shot and you now have the picture you see here. A angry giant gorilla getting ready to destroy a city with all it's people. If that doesn't spell doomsday then I don't know what does.

The last photo I stumbled upon by complete luck. While searching for new areas to photograph I came upon an area known as "Immortalis". It was a dark and gloomy area that perfectly fit the description of my theme. The cherry on top though was this church area that was completely destroyed with lava oozing out. I know we're not allowed to have our avatar in the final photo, but I put mine in anyways cause I felt like it added more to the shot. As you can see the image depicts a survivor who has stumbled upon a destroyed church. If this didn't survive the "apocalypse" what hope is there? Well that's what I tried to get out of the picture anyways ahahah.

Ascii drawing

2011-02-23T23:04:00.002-05:00

READING RESPONSES 6 - 8

2011-02-17T20:55:00.001-05:00

Human – Computer Interaction: analog, UX & what is code?
Reading Responses:
6: Being Analog
7: Experience design and information architecture resources
8: Toxic Maps

Please read each of the (3) three articles and create a new post for each article by Tuesday, February 22nd. Each essay should be no less than two paragraphs in length and summarize the main points of the articles read. It should also include any ideas you had in relation to the reading; not opinions about the complexity of the writing, but the content. Title each entry as "Reading Response" followed by the sequential number of the article; your entry on Being Analog would then be titled "Reading Response 6"

Ascii Drawing~

2011-02-15T10:40:00.014-05:00

Jake's Ascii Art

2011-02-15T10:40:00.011-05:00

Damian ASCII Art

2011-02-15T10:40:00.009-05:00

My Rocket an A+ asci drawing

2011-02-15T10:39:00.003-05:00

Mini-Project #4

2011-02-15T08:46:00.001-05:00

DUE: February 17th

Each student will need to sign up for a delicious.com account to track bookmarks in a social network. This service permits us to keep track of web bookmarks online as well as search for information via a social media interface. We will also link to each other using our people network; extra credit for those who add me to their personal account before class on Thursday.

While signing up for an account through delicious, you MUST read through the entire list of the End User License Agreement (or EULA) for Yahoo's service. While this is normally a text that most people skip over, it is important to our conversation in class that you have read and understand the conditions of services that Yahoo is providing. These end user agreements are key components in the description of how software, webapps and computers function as tools.

Mini-Project #3

2011-02-14T20:01:00.004-05:00

DUE: Tuesday February 15th, by the end of class

The purpose of this project is to invite students to utilize alternative methods of creating a graphical image.

Students should select a black and white photographic image. Using a text editor such as Mac's TextEdit or Window's Notepad, the student should then recreate this image in as realistically as possible using only ASCII-based keys. This file should be saved as a .txt file.

If using Mac's TextEdit there are a few settings you MUST take care of or you will encounter problems. First, you must make sure to turn off real text formatting. You will know that this is off if you do not see a ruler in your text window. After adjusting each setting, you need to save your file, quit completely out of the program (using Command+Q), and then restart. Second, make sure that you are using the return key at the end of each line, instead of permitting the window size to determine the end-of-line. This will maintain the appropriate dimensions. Finally, in order to save yourself a lot of trouble and heartache for the next segment of this assignment, you should use a minimal character key to represent spaces - such as a period - instead of using the spacebar.

We will finish this project in class, along with a critique, before moving onto the second phase of this project. In class, we will make screenshots of each project and post to this blog the final result.

For reference, see Jason Scott's www.textfiles.com art documents.

Mini-Project #2

2011-02-03T01:46:00.011-05:00

Upon my maiden voyage into the world
of Second Life I stumbled upon a very friendly inhabitant who not only showed me the ropes, but in end became my very first friend in SL. Her avatar was a mix of a fairy and angle with goth clothing. She went by the user name Ariona Afterthought who has been playing for 23 months!! Roughly almost two years has she been playing SL. When I asked her what she was doing here she responded "I'm in Second Life because I suffer from Borderline Personality Disorder and I'm highly co-dependent. I need people to socialize with on a constant basis." Not really something you can comment back on but I managed to keep the conversation rolling. Places she enjoys visiting are welcome areas, her home, and shopping. She was indeed a friendly and entertaining person to talk to and I met her in the are known as Korea1.

As I began to familiarize myself with Second Life i began to explore the various areas it had to offer. In one section known as "ThreeSun" I met a charming girl by the name of KittyXJustice. She was a very comical person and we had a very fun conversation. She dressed in a fashionable top and skirt. Like myself she actually had just joined Second Life and was new to the whole system. She joined SL because she heard it was really fun and unique. Also she liked to interact with people/make new friends. We ended up exploring the world together and she even tired to help me find people to talk to. It was indeed amusing and I found myself losing track of time at times.

The last person I ran into was back all the way at the initial starting area Castle Valeria (go figure). There I meet an player by the name of Chi2Chi bore angle wings, a skimpy outfit, and dyed hair. None the less she was a very friendly person and helped me out with this assignment. Chi had only been playing for two weeks so she was still somewhat new herself. When I asked why she had joined SL She said "(for)the clubs and to meet new people." She enjoys going to the clubs and visiting her friends there. With that I thanked her for her time and we were on our way, but no until she sent me a friend request.

In the end my Second Life experience was quite enjoyable and to be honest at first I was not looking forward to doing this. Soon enough though I found myself getting sucked into the character customization and exploration. Meeting new people was fun though I did run into some of the wack jobs along the way. Hope you enjoy reading my experience in the world of Second Life.

READING RESPONSES 4 - 5

2011-02-02T12:35:00.004-05:00

Understanding global media and Web 2.0: blog, webapps, etc
Reading Responses:
4: Introduction to Internet Architecture and Institutions
5: Clay Shirky - Cognitive Heatsink

Please read and watch the above two links and create a new post for each by Thursday, February 10th. Each essay should be no less than two paragraphs in length and summarize the main points of the articles read or the video you watched. It should also include any conclusions you made in relation to the readings. Title each entry as "Reading Response" followed by the sequential number of the article; your entry on Clay Shirky's presentation on Web 2.0 would then be titled "Reading Response 5"

Mini-Project #2

2011-01-27T10:05:00.003-05:00

DUE: Thursday February 3rd, before the start of class

The purpose of this project is to invite students to explore Second Life and document their journey in a way which clearly explains this voyage.

Students should create a Second Life character by joining Second Life at their website. After a character has been created, the student should download the free Second Life client to play the game on their computer, or do their work in Second Life on one of the computers available in the computer lab on campus. All the Macintosh computers should have Second Life pre-installed.

After spending some time familiarizing yourself with the world, its controls and the Welcome Island, the student should begin to document encounters with three (3) unique real Second Life inhabitants. Pick a spot on one of the two main continents in the Second Life world map and transport there. Then begin to walk and -- using your mini-map as a guide -- begin a conversation with three (3) inhabitants in three (3) different areas. While you may want to fly or teleport, for this project you should resist this urge and walk where you want to go.

As you talk with people, ask them questions like:
"Who are you?"
"How long have you played Second Life?"
"Why are you in Second Life?"
"How often do you come to Second Life?"
"What are your favorite places to go in Second Life?"
Copy the conversation down. Using print screen or Apple's Grab software, take screenshots of the places and people you meet.

With this material, you are required to do one (1) three paragraph write-up. In each paragraph, you will describe one inhabitant you met, what you learned from your conversation and where you went. This three paragraph entry should be posted as one (1) new entry on our class blog and should following a design format which you have selected to present your material.

For this project, you should not select bots, persons in sex or dance clubs, casinos, or persons in shopping areas as your conversations to document.

READING RESPONSES 1-3

2011-01-25T10:45:00.003-05:00

What are New Media?
Reading Responses:
1: As We May Think
2: Language of new media (only pp. 43-70)
3: We Have the Information You Want

Please read each of the (3) three articles and create a new post for each article by Tuesday, February 1st. Each essay should be no less than two paragraphs in length and summarize the main points of the articles read. It should also include any personal thoughts you had in relation to the reading. Title each entry as "Reading Response" followed by the sequential number of the article; your entry on As We May Think would then be titled "Reading Response 1"

Syllabus New Media I Spring 2011

2010-01-26T14:47:00.002-05:00

Instructor: Wayne Madsen
Spring 2011
Room: B312
Hours: Tuesday, Thursday 8:50-10:45
Office: Building C rm. 317K, Phone: 978-556-3268
Email: wmadsen(at)necc.mass.edu (preferred contact)
Office Hours: by appt.

Catalog Description
An introduction to the theory and practice of New Media from conception through production. Students will be introduced to computer graphic applications used as tools in media productions. The course combines lecture and hands on workshops. Students will design visual projects using computer software for multimedia presentations. Prerequisites GRA110 Macintosh Design. Two class hours and two lab hours per week. The course satisfies: Computer, Graphics, Humanities, Liberal Arts, Open/Free, Technical.

Course Objectives
This course addresses more complicated design and production of art with respect to delivery production. The class focuses on online communication, human-computer interaction and design with respect to online content delivery. The course emphasizes creative experimentation informed by contemporary research issues and critical theory. Subjects addressed in the class include:

hypertext programming

opensource software and webapps

internet blogging

digital imaging & manipulation, truth in imaging, identity, linearity

digital identity and net presence

hypertext and non-linear narrative

Student responsibilities
Information presented in class lectures, discussions and demos is the responsibility of each student. General assignments are mandatory and must be completed on the required dates and in the proper format. Assigned readings are the responsibility of each student and will be required for class discussion and project completion. Each lecture and discussion requires the student's participation for which a grade will be given. The technical aspects of the class are demanding and require that students be self-motivated and independently solve problems. Unless defined by the calendar, Tuesdays will focus on lectures, discussions and demonstrations, while Thursdays will focus on time when students can research, work on assignments and request for help. Students will need to be able to competently write about their projects in a formal way.

Learning Objectives
Students can explain basic concepts and theory in new (digital) media.
Students understand the historical context of computer-based communication.
Students can explain technological constraints on web-based digital media.
Students understand how digital media technologies – current and future – may affect society:
politically, culturally and economically.
Students develop an informed, critical appreciation for new media.
Students will be capable of understanding the basic concepts of programming.

Grading
Evaluation is based on technical, aesthetic and conceptual skills and realization of projects. Attention is paid to the process of producing a project as well as the result. Projects must be informed by appropriate and directed research, as pertains to the class readings.

Participation (involvement, comments, & critiques) 20%
Mini Projects 30% total
Final Group Project 30%
Readings 20%

Procedure (criteria) for evaluating student performance
All projects will be graded on the rubric chart attached to this syllabus. A grade for Participation will be calculated as a sum of the student's involvement in class and the general helpfulness that the student offers to fellow classmates. Mini Projects and Readings are graded on a pass or fail basis.

Attendance
This course assumes an interactive approach in its structure and in its presentation, which requires engaged participation from all members of the class. This class is a cumulative experience and necessitates your presence in lab time as well as lecture. Therefore, regular attendance is expected and considered mandatory. Formal class time begins promptly at 8:50 AM. All students are expected to be present at that time. If a student is not present when the attendance roster is signed, he or she will be marked tardy; please be polite to others by arriving on time to class as you would to a job. Individuals who are tardy may be excused at the discretion of the instructor if they are 1) not habitual and/or 2) the student provides a justifiable reason for being late. Upon the event of two tardies, the student will be marked a full absence. Each student is allowed three absences from class for the entire semester without direct penalty to his or her grade – this is a separate penalty from those given for missing a project deadline. Each absence over three will reduce a student's final grade by 10%. For example, if a student earns 90%, or an A-, but misses four classes, that student’s total points will be reduced by 10 percentage points to 80% and he or she will receive a B- as a final grade.

In the event that you miss class, it is your responsibility to obtain the missed notes from a classmate and for picking up any handouts distributed in class by the instructor. There is no make-up for in-class writings or projects missed due to absence or lateness. Academic Warning: students who do not complete and submit assignments on time and to a satisfactory standard will be given a 'non-participatory' grade (NP).

Policy on Late Assignments
Late projects and papers will not be accepted without good reason determined on a case-by-case basis by the professor. This class is very dependent on having projects finished for the class critiques: if the student doesn't have the project done, they will not be able to completely participate. If the student has extenuating circumstances, please clear them with the instructor ahead of the due date. Medical emergencies are excused, per doctor’s note.

Required Texts
Readings on theory will be online; the URLs will be listed in the calendar and on the blog. For each reading, the student is required to write a multi-paragraph essay describing the core elements of the reading materials as well as any insights the student may have on the concepts.

Materials
Students will need a data storage device, 4 GB or larger on a flash drive is preferred.

Cell Phone and Computer Policy
Cell phones must be on mute. The class is held in a computer lab, which has all the necessary software. If you need to access something on your laptop, please get the file and then turn your laptop off. Internet access is not forbidden if it can add to the class discussion; it should not be a distraction.

Individuals with disabilities
Contact the Learning Accessibility Center on campus, 978-556-3654, F Building, for accommodations.

Emergency Phone Numbers
Emergency: 911
Escort Service: 978-556-3689

Course Schedule
Week 1 What are New Media?
Reading Responses:
As We May Think
Language of new media (only pp. 43-70)
We Have the Information You Want

Week 2 Understanding global media and Web 2.0: blog, webapps, etc
Reading Responses:
Introduction to Internet Architecture and Institutions
Cluetrain Manefesto (review as much as you can on this site)

Week 3 Human – Computer Interaction: analog, what is code?
Reading Responses:
Being Analog
Experience design and information architecture resources
Toxic Maps

Week 4 Social and Technological: open source
Reading Responses:
Social Interaction Design
visualcomplexity (visit three projects from each category on the right hand side)
Clay Shirky - Group Politics
Clay Shirky - Cognitive Heatsink
What is collaboration?!
GNU Manifesto

Week 5 Online News and the Viral Campaign: podcast and beyond
Reading Responses:
National Podcast Radio
The Role of the Internet in National and Local News Media Use
Wireless Revolution

Week 6 New Media Design and Production: UX and UI
Reading Responses:
Wikipedia entry: Controlled Vocabulary
Webmonkey tutorial: user experience design

Plagiarism
NECC Student Code of Conduct (pg. 5)
“Plagiarism is defined by the College to be the use of any other person's research, images, words or ideas as though they were your own, without giving appropriate credit to the original source. If you use another person's research, images, words or ideas you must give credit to the original source through proper citation, regardless of whether you use a direct quote, or incorporate an idea into your own work.”

If you need to review the NECC Student Code of Conduct, it can be found here.